Jane Eyre

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BookBuffoonery
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Re: Jane Eyre

Post by BookBuffoonery »

Jane Eyre is one of my favorites, as well. I think it's something about the way Jane overcomes the adverse circumstances in her life, and that she beats the odds when she finds true love. That is much more than somebody in her station would hope for or expect. Jane and Rochester have such wonderful, complex personalities and it seems like they perfectly complement one another. It's nice to see two people who have had their share of heartbreak and loss, overcome the setbacks and find love and acceptance in one another. I guess that's what I like most about the book. It's a tremendous love story that resonates with real people.
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kjm2009
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Post by kjm2009 »

Tragic. That is the word that best describes this character's life. She has a crappy family that brings hardship and pain. She gets sent away to a reform school that is just as bad. Jane faces a great deal of pain in her youth. The real story is when she begins life as a governess. There she falls into a love story with stolen glances and fluttering hearts. But this book is all about letting someone go to truly find if it's meant to be.
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Post by Ktrina02 »

I read Jane Eyre over the summer. I am 26 years old now and read it back when I was in high school. Back then, I didn't quite understand the classic at all. I'm glad I reread it. Love this novel.
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Nessa_816
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Post by Nessa_816 »

This book by Charlotte Bronte follows the character Jane Eyre throughout her childhood, and through her young adult life. As a child, Jane is an orphan who lived with her aunt and uncle Mr. and Mrs. Reed, until her uncle's death. She is then sent to attend Lowood School, where she is maltreated. Jane stays at the Lowood School for many years, and later is a teacher there. Unhappy in her present circumstances, she places an advertisement to become a governess, and is answered by one Mrs. Fairfax.
Jane then moves to Thornfield Hall. Jane is there to teach Mr. Rochester's (the master of the house) French ward, Adele. This is the best and happiest time in Jane's life. The seemingly gruff Mr. Rochester is actually a kind man who treats Jane as an equal. They soon fall in love and become engaged. Unfortunately Jane's happiness is decimated on their wedding day, when it is revealed that Mr. Rochester is already married to a woman named Bertha Mason. Bertha became unstable not long after they had married, and had become completely psychotic at this point. Jane is completely distraught by this news, and quietly leaves Thornfield Hall.
Jane find herself penniless and lost, soon becoming dehydrated and ill. She gets taken in by Diana and Mary Rivers, and employed by their brother St. John Rivers. During this time, Jane finds out that she had an uncle who had been trying to find her. After his death, he leaves all of his money to Jane. With her newfound fortune, she helps out her friends and is proposed to by St. John. Jane refuses him because she wants to marry for love, and he only wants a companion for his mission to India. She realizes she wants to go back to the one man she does love. After returning to Thornfield, she finds the hall to be in ruins. She finds out that Bertha had set the place on fire. By doing so Bertha had also killed herself and blinded Mr. Rochester. Jane goes to the broken down Mr. Rochester and tells him that she plans on staying with him. He later proposes, which Jane accepts. They are happily married and start a family of their own.

Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorite books. As I was writing this synopsis of the book, I felt like it was too long, but I had still left so much out. The first and foremost reason why I love this book is because of the character, Jane. To me, she equals the ranks of Elizabeth Bennett, Jo March, and Anne Shirley. She is a character that is not known for beauty; in fact, she calls herself "plain and little". Instead of beauty, Jane is known for her ability to teach, draw, and her patience and integrity. She does not perform desperate acts to get the love she desires, but holds herself to a higher level. When she finds out that Mr. Rochester is still married, he asks Jane to stay with him so that they can always be together. She knows in her heart that she cannot do this because it is morally wrong. Charlotte Bronte gives heart and complexity to all of her characters. Her writing is a beautiful mixture of strong and easy to read and also eloquent and does not belittle the audiences. I would recommend the novel Jane Eyre to anyone!
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athaag
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Post by athaag »

I absolutely love both the Bronte sisters' dark writing style, and similarly to Dickens, one can find correlation between the themes and tones of their writing and their own lives. I love being able to learn about these authors' lives and find similarities and themes, that also find their way into their stories as well.
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MaryKnight
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Post by MaryKnight »

Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorite classics. I tried reading it in high school and struggled with it but when I had to read it in college and write an analysis on it, I found so many things that made me fall in love with the story. The characters were so well developed and represented so many different things. Jane's journey was what really hooked me in the novel because it showed how much she progressed and developed as a person.
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EmersonRose
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Post by EmersonRose »

I read Jane Eyre a year ago, I thought it was absolutely beautiful. My mother loved it and told me it was a must-read. In 8th grade, she tried to get me to read Wuthering Heights but I could not get through it in high school I tried again and loved it. After that I got hooked on the Bronte sisters, previously I had read all of Austen. I read Tenant of Wildfell hall second and loved that also before I read Jane Eyre. I love all three and plan to continue reading Bronte novels. I cannot decide which one to read next. I would love suggestions.
The Bronte novels strike me as darker Austen novels. They have a more relatable grit to them. Out of the three, I do not know which of the sisters is my favorite, each of them writes with such beautiful imagery and feeling. Out of the three girls, though Jane, Catherine, and Helen; I do not know which one I relate to most. Perhaps Jane, because of her quiet stubbornness.
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AMagnificentAmberson
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Post by AMagnificentAmberson »

When I first read Jane Eyre in my teens, I enjoyed everything about it but the end. I mentally rebelled against the ending, not able to understand why love wasn't to be pursued despite the situation. In my mid-twenties, I found myself in a bad "relationship" where I realized I sacrificed my principles for what I thought was love and I was instantly reminded of Jane Eyre and how right she was. I'm not going to tell anyone what those principles should be because that isn't the point. Any man/relationship "purchased" with the price of your principles, whatever they are, is guaranteed to be unhealthy. So, while Jane Eyre's story contains an unpopular and hard message, it is right and important.
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VeronicaS
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Post by VeronicaS »

This is one of my favorite books and I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I didn't read it until I was 26. Jane Eyre is such a powerful character. She stays true to herself and her moral base from the beginning of the book until the end. She doesn't let Rochester turn her into a mindless trophy fiance when they are engaged and when she finds his wife she doesn't compromise her scruples even though you can see how tempting Rochesters argument is. I just had a daughter and I will be sure to have her read it when she's older.
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Post by Yafa1822 »

How anyone can hate Jane Eyer is beyond me. I read the full unabridged version in 7th grade (I was home schooled so don't hate) and have made it a yearly read. I must read Jane Eyre (and P&P) once a year. It's a must read.
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triplem80
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Post by triplem80 »

Yafa1822 wrote:How anyone can hate Jane Eyer is beyond me. I read the full unabridged version in 7th grade (I was home schooled so don't hate) and have made it a yearly read. I must read Jane Eyre (and P&P) once a year. It's a must read.
I'm one of those odd folks who REALLY dislikes Jane Eyre. I read it as a teenager (by choice, not by force), and I didn't appreciate it in the slightest. I figured maybe it was the language I had an aversion to, but when I re-read it a few years ago (in my early 30s), I disliked it just as much.

To be fair, I have a tendency to dislike a lot of beloved books, so I'll just say there must be something wrong with me. :)
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Abdeno_Or
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Post by Abdeno_Or »

Hii guys
just as we're on the subject : i got this book two days ago (i'm new to reading books) and just as i started reading it, i couldn't understand most of its vocabulary (i read a retold "A tale of two cities" before and it was a-piece-of-cake easy) .. i think being new to books makes it hard to understand all the difficult words .. should i just keep reading it as long as i understand the plot of the story or just stop and read something else ??? thank you
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KatMint
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Post by KatMint »

Jane Eyre's world of solitude, reserved self-assurance, abject fear, and quest for joy is very relatable for young and mature women alike. Unfortunately, the depiction of mental illness reveals a stigma and failure of understanding that still exists today. It's a dark book, but holds a intense romance.
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cmm23452
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Post by cmm23452 »

This was required reading for me in high school, but I actually enjoyed it. I would've read it if it was required or not. Top of my list for classic books.
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ericaball
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Post by ericaball »

I'm another one of those who tends to resent being told what to read. I think if I had been made to read Jane Eyre in high school, I wouldn't have been free to love it as much as I do. The reason it's a classic, I think, is that the themes are immediately relatable for so many. Feeling neglected as a child, or plain, or alone in the world... unrequited love and envy, the rich juxtaposed against the poor. Plus it adds fire! And madness! A recipe for success if there ever was one.
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